How to Make a Video Call on Android

This article shows you how to make a video call on Android, including the built-in option, Google Meet, and third-party video chat apps.

How to Use Android’s Built-in Video Calling

Depending on your device and carrier, it’s possible to make video calls from your phone app directly. 

1. Open the Phone app.

2. Select the contact you wish to call.

3. Tap the video icon underneath the contact's name to begin a video call.

4. Wait for your contact to answer. If your contact’s phone doesn’t support video chat, you’ll automatically be switched to an audio call.

The downside to Android’s built-in video calling function is that it doesn't work for everyone.

How to Make a Video Call With Google Meet

Google’s video-calling app, Meet, is preinstalled on most Android phones and is also available on Google Play. It's ideal for video calls because it works across platforms, meaning you can call someone who's using an iPhone or even a computer. Meet has an interesting feature called Knock Knock that lets the person you're calling see you before they pick up. The app also has a variety of filters and effects.

Follow these steps to initiate a video call with someone:

1. Open the app and tap New.

2. Select a contact to call.

3. Tap Call.

How to Video Chat on Android Using Third-Party Apps

If you don’t want to use Google's option, there are many free video-calling apps available on Android.  A few great examples are Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, as you likely already have at least one of them as a texting app.

Making a call with those apps, and others like Signal, is a nearly identical process. Find the person you want to talk to and tap the video icon.

Alternatively, you can use video conferencing platforms like Zoom as a mobile video chat app. The one significant difference is that instead of calling someone directly, you need to create a meeting and invite people. Zoom is a good option if you want to host a large gathering, as it supports up to 100 attendees.

Here's how to start a video call on Zoom for Android:

1. Open the app and tap New Meeting from the Meetings tab.

   You'll need to be signed in, so if you're not, tap Sign in first.

2. Tap Start a Meeting.

3. Select Participants at the bottom of the screen.

4. To begin inviting people to your meeting, tap Invite in the bottom left corner. You’ll be presented with a list of your messaging apps. Find the person(s) you want to invite from one of these, and Zoom will send an invitation link so they can join your meeting.